Manchester City could face a severe 100-point deduction, potentially leading to their relegation, as they prepare for the Financial Fair Play hearing set to commence on Monday.
The reigning Premier League champions, who have secured the title in the last four seasons, are accused of breaching financial rules from 2009 over a nine-year span.
If found guilty of financial misconduct, the club may be subjected to penalties ranging from hefty fines to possible expulsion from the Premier League. The case is expected to conclude by the end of the year.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has told talkSPORT of the possible consequences for City if all of the charges brought against them hold up in a legal battle: “It can’t be a financial punishment; that would make everybody think the whole thing was a waste of time.
If you take a look at the hearing at both Everton and Nottingham Forest, the commissions both said this is a minor breach of the rules.
“Now if the allegations against Manchester City are proven, that surely has to be a major breach of the rules, effectively that the club misrepresented the money coming into the club.
The club have also been accused of disguising payments to players and managers through third-parties, effectively being paid offshore via Abu Dhabi for services provided by members of staff.
That is also completely against the rules, one would think, although it could be that it’s within the Premier League rules so we would have to be looking at a very significant points deduction.
“If all 115 charges are proven, then you would imagine the points deduction would be somewhere in the region of 60-100 points on the basis that they would want the club to suffer enough to be heading out of the division.”
Manchester City have consistently asserted their innocence and are determined to challenge the Financial Fair Play allegations to clear their name.
Should the Premier League impose sanctions, any appeals could extend the case into 2025. If the club faces expulsion from the Premier League, it would mark their first time outside the top division since the 2001-02 season.